VentureSouth crosses $100 million invested, a Raleigh cocktail bar owner buys her own building, and NC State lands a $480 million defense manufacturing initiative. Plus, ConvergeSouth is finally here, and the events you need on your calendar this week.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6am.city/ralbizbrief
• Full Q&A: VentureSouth's Matt Dunbar on fundraising, AI, and the long game — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/business/venturesouth-matt-dunbar-looks-for-in-successful-founders
• NC State's FutureTEX defense manufacturing initiative — https://news.ncsu.edu/2026/08/futuretex-defense-manufacturing-industry/
• UNC Health Johnston & Duke Health secure PET scanner approvals (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/17/duke-unc-pet-scanner-approvals-cary-smithfield.html
• Ode is hiring in Raleigh (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/15/anthropic-claude-ode-venture-ai-adoption-raleigh.html
• Andrews Launch Accelerator 2026 Demo Day (GrepBeat) — https://grepbeat.com/2026/08/19/andrews-launch-accelerator-showcases-10-startups-at-2026-demo-day/
• William & Company's Liliana Ballance buys her building (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/12/raleigh-bar-person-st-uilding-sold-real-estate.html
• Stephen Bentley's park leadership honor — https://raleighnc.gov/news/parks-director-be-inducted-american-academy-park-and-recreation-administration
• Durham Tech's enrollment surge (ABC11) — https://abc11.com/post/durham-technical-community-college-allowing-students-experience-hands-training-class/19679345/
• Full events calendar — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/events#/
• Office space listings (lease/sale) — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• ConvergeSouth, August 27-28 in Winston-Salem: https://convergesouth.com/
• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/
  
  

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